Norm Kelly: deputy mayor of the internet
Before being named deputy mayor over the summer, Scarborough city councillor Norm Kelly was best known for saying something dumb about climate change. And yet somehow, in the months since Rob Ford’s ever-worsening crack scandal thrust Kelly into the role of acting mayor, he has emerged as the perfect embodiment of a caretaker. He wasn’t elected to the position, but he’s kind, inoffensive and just goofy enough to dissipate some of the stale dorm-room funk of Ford’s reign.
One remarkable thing about Kelly’s rise to prominence is the extent to which it has been aided by social media. For instance, take a look at the video above. It was released on YouTube a few days ago to promote a mass LGBT wedding at Casa Loma, which is being planned as part of this year’s World Pride celebrations. It’s the type of thing almost any mayor of a progressive city would do, but after years of veiled homophobia from Ford it’s genuinely heartwarming—even newsworthy.
But where Kelly’s new persona truly lives and breathes is Twitter, where he or his staffers churn out a constant stream of well-intended civic information mixed with memes and non sequiturs. The effect is nothing like the stiff, robot-like voice used by Rob Ford’s Twitter minder, which is part of what makes it great. Here’s a quick tour of the weird world of @DMayorKelly.
Light the lights
If deputy mayor Kelly’s Twitter account has a recurring theme, it’s city hall’s exterior lights. They can change colours on demand, and it seems as though Kelly has been exerting his newfound influence to make sure their hues are always topical. This borders on obsession. Observe:
If you're passing by the blue lights against City Hall tonight, observe a moment of silence for police officers who lost their lives on duty
— Norm Kelly (@DMayorKelly) May 4, 2014
It's game day, #Toronto! I've arranged for City Hall to be lit up red & purple tonight for our @Raptors! Time for an #NorthernUprising! #RTZ
— Norm Kelly (@DMayorKelly) May 4, 2014
Today is #WorldPHDay! To help raise awareness for this rare disease, I'll be lighting City Hall purple and white tonight! #Toronto #TOpoli
— Norm Kelly (@DMayorKelly) May 5, 2014
May is #Melanoma Awareness month! To recognize this I've arranged for City Hall to be lit up in yellow & blue tonight. #Toronto #TOpoli
— Norm Kelly (@DMayorKelly) May 2, 2014
Anyone remember Atari?
If we can infer anything else about the deputy mayor from his Twitter feed, it’s that he has a soft spot for pre-1990s video-game culture.
No longer an urban legend! A legendary trove of @atari games in the desert has been found! http://t.co/hPk7FqyDU0 pic.twitter.com/2vfNCUQEKv
— Norm Kelly (@DMayorKelly) April 27, 2014
#TBT: The Nintendo Game Boy celebrates 25 years this week! A part of many people's childhood. pic.twitter.com/unfRckAMxW
— Norm Kelly (@DMayorKelly) April 24, 2014
Anyone remember Atari? pic.twitter.com/gQsIarzfKH
— Norm Kelly (@DMayorKelly) April 21, 2014
Hitler died this day
As context for the following tweets, it may be helpful to know that Kelly was a historian before he got into politics. Even so, the deputy mayor’s throwback tweets often have an oddball touch.
On this day in 1945, Adolf Hitler committed suicide in a bunker in Berlin. pic.twitter.com/aBY6aJj5fO
— Norm Kelly (@DMayorKelly) April 30, 2014
Evolution of the @LEGO_Group logo. Ever step on a piece of Lego? One of the most painful things one can experience. pic.twitter.com/vpbdefQ5sC
— Norm Kelly (@DMayorKelly) April 30, 2014
This picture never gets old. @thebeatles crossing Abbey Road in 1969! pic.twitter.com/Vapn3JvPO4
— Norm Kelly (@DMayorKelly) April 28, 2014
My, how things have changed since 1891! pic.twitter.com/npZoEiWU89
— Norm Kelly (@DMayorKelly) April 28, 2014
In 1908, @googlemaps wasn't around. Pigeons were fitted with cameras to get aerial photos. #Toronto pic.twitter.com/p25bLYKetE
— Norm Kelly (@DMayorKelly) April 12, 2014
And the usual
Of course, the majority of Kelly’s tweets are just the usual bread and butter of municipal politicians. He gives periodic pothole updates…
POTHOLE UPDATE #2: 2535 potholes were filled yesterday. Total potholes filled to date this year: 136,000 #Toronto #TOpoli
— Norm Kelly (@DMayorKelly) April 4, 2014
…and helps people with their problems.
Can a service request be created, @311Toronto? CC @FrancaAlfano58
— Norm Kelly (@DMayorKelly) May 2, 2014
(Unlike Ford, though, he’s happy to let to 311 take care of the issue, rather than enlisting a senior civil servant to inspect the hole personally.)
Toronto wouldn’t necessarily vote for a mayor like Kelly, but the man has found his moment. We suspect there are many who will miss him when his stint at the head of the city is over.
All of his tongue-in-cheek tweets aside, the Deputy Mayor also communicates regular business effectively and regularly. What I wonder is if he writes these himself. Even if he doesn’t, it is not often a seasoned politician from the Trudeau era confidently turns over the social media keys to someone this effective and funny.
@DMayorKelly It doesn’t cost $20 k to visit Niagara Falls for a weekend. http://www.torontosun.com/2014/05/27/norm-kelly-defends-20700-niagara-falls-business-trip … @2014MayorFord